A few weeks ago I was leaving a meeting in Texas, and was delayed in the Dallas-Ft.Worth airport. I went for a walk and returned to find Fr. Chima Ekeke (who was traveling with me to the meeting) talking to Mack Tomlinson. It turns out that Mack Tomlinson has just written a biography on the life of Leonard Ravenhill, entitled In Light of Eternity, the Life of Leonard Ravenhill.
I had heard Rev. Ravenhill preach when I was in college and have several of his books. His teachings and his writings had a profound impact on me, especially on the importance of prayer. I was thrilled to not only meet Mack, but to be able to have a copy of his book. Below are some quotes from Leonard Ravenhill.
What good does it to speak in tongues on Sunday if you have been using your tongue during the week to curse and gossip?
We talk about the Baptism of the Spirit, but it's really the Spirit-baptism of Jesus Christ. There is nothing you get this side of eternity that does not come through Jesus Christ.
My main ambition in life is to be on the devil's most wanted list.
A man who is intimate with God never needs to be intimidated by men.
Many ask God for help. Few ask God for mercy.
I believe every church is either supernatural or superficial. I don't believe there's any middle ground.
The worst thing God gives us is better than the best thing Satan gives us.
If Christ is not worth everything you have, He is not worth anything you have.
A sinning man stops praying and a praying man stops sinning.
God asks the best we have because he gave the best he had.
Most Christians pray to be blessed, but few pray to be broken. God isn't training Boy Scouts. He's training soldiers.
Each of us are only as godly as we want to be.
I often pray, "Lord, let your Word bite my heart right now."
Too many of us want to make a peace treaty with Christ, but will not make a total surrender to Christ.
There is too much organizing in the supper room and not enough agonizing in the upper room.
Our God is a consuming fire. He consumes pride, lust, materialism, and any other sin.
There are many forms of prayer and all religious traditions in the world have some form of prayer and their adherents do pray to some god. However, biblical prayer is different. True biblical prayer is the believer’s link to the heavenly Father. It is the divine communication with God. To pray is a privilege and should be a way of life for the believer in Jesus Christ. Prayer is the channel to wisdom living. Praying is a noble act and a divine habit, yet, it is one of the most neglected spiritual disciplines. Dynamic and persistent prayer is the only true answer to most societal problems.
ReplyDeleteThe late William R. Bright, founder of campus crusade for Christ, made this amazing statement on wining the Nobel Prize for religion:
“I believe that biblical prayer is the most enriching and energizing of all the Christian disciplines and can accomplish more for the glory of God and ensure His blessing upon the peoples of the earth more than anything else we can do.”
Thank you Bishop Foley for calling our attention to this very important spiritual discipline and weapon we often forget we have as Christians – Ephesians 6:10-20.